Pop-Up Shops Fill Downtown Storefronts

Keeping Downtown Storefronts Filled with Occupants

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It has been an issue the city of Duluth has dealt with for quite some time, how to keep businesses in downtown Duluth and storefronts filled.

Over the next few months some of the vacant places will be filled.

A committee with the Greater Downtown Council will select a mix of applicants this Friday who will be given a storefront to use for the holiday season.

It’s the third year in a row the city has held a pop-up shop contest.

Kristi Stokes, with the Greater Downtown Council, said there are more applicants than there are open storefronts – as only seven need to be filled.

Clothing, entertainment and photography are a mix of products pop-up shop participants are looking to sell.

Stokes said it’s a great way to give entrepreneurs a chance to thrive.

“Our whole goal here is one to really get those entrepreneurs into that next step really getting them into a store front and testing it out and as you said we have some vacant store fronts and we really want to fill those. We want them to be activated. We want them to be lightened up for the holidays,” said Stokes.

The pop-up shops will open in late November and wrap-up in early January.

Stokes said in the past some contest winners have extended their stay at a storefront location, it just depends on the rental property’s management.